1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to seats for use in passenger-carrying airplanes. In particular, the invention relates to a passenger seat that provides enhanced passenger safety by automatically switching from a forward-facing to a rearward-facing configuration.
2. Description of Related Art
Although civilian aviation has attained a remarkable level of safety, there is still a considerable effort to reduce the level of passenger injury from infrequent poor landings and other mishaps. Not surprisingly, much of this effort has revolved about the design of the passenger seat. The passengers spend most of their flying time in seats; therefore, they are likely to be seated when any accident occurs.
One manner of creating a safer or "crash-resistant" seat is to construct the seat with energy-absorbing components. In this way the seat can absorb much of the destructive energy of a crash rather than transmitting it to the seat occupant. U.S. Pat. No. 2,682,931 to Young teaches an airplane seat that is mounted on an energy-absorbing link to attenuate the transmission of injury-causing energy from a crash landing. U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,805 to Mazelsky provides a bucket seat that is linked to a mounting frame by a plurality of energy absorbers. U.S. Pat. No. 4,349,167 to Reilly teaches a crash-resistant passenger seat which is pivotally mounted to the floor of the aircraft by a plurality of wire-bending energy attenuators. The seat can be mounted to face either forward or backward. U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,578 to Kiguchi teaches a seat that is pivotally mounted with the mounting being bridged by a diagonally-mounted energy absorber.
The art has also recognized the advantages of mounting a passenger seat so that the passengers face the rear of the aircraft. Because most of the force during an improper landing tends to propel the passengers towards the front of the aircraft, this orientation allows the seat back to absorb these forces and protect the passenger. U.S. Pat. No. 2,606,727 to De Haven teaches a rearward-facing passenger seat mounted in an energy-absorbing frame that extends to the ceiling of the aircraft. U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,383 to Mazelsky teaches a rearward-facing seat pivotally mounted on a plurality of energy-absorbing members.
A major problem with the prior art has been the excessive complexity of the energy-absorbing systems. The energy absorbers can be greatly simplified in a rearward-facing seat system because in that orientation the seat body itself provides considerable protection to the occupant. However, rearward-facing seats are not popular, particularly because many individuals become motion sick when riding in a rearward-facing seat.